Door guide structure



Sept. 5, 1933. D. E. wlLLARD 1,925,473

DOOR GUIDE STRUCTURE Filed June so, 1930 2 sheets-sheet 1 Sem. 5, 1933. Dl E wlLLARD 1,925,473

DOOR GUIDE STRUCTURE 2 vSheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 30, 1950 Patented Sept. 5, 1933 uNrrED STATES DOOR GUIDE STRUCTURE Donald' E. Willard, Danville, Ill., ass'ignor to f Allth-Prouty Company, Danville, Ill., a corpo-m ration of Delaware Application :lune 30, 1930. Serial No. 464,733

"s Claims.y (ol. zo-le) This invention relates to door guide structures particularly adaptable for cooperation with guide rails to guide the upper ends ortops of doors which at the lower ends thereof slide or roll on 5 track rails, as vfor example, in airport hangars having' large entrances to be closed by large and 4heavy ldoor structures, and where these door structures are shifted laterally to kclose the entrance and along courses containing curves to kl0 direct the door or doors into position alongside of the side walls of the building that the same may be out of the Way after'the entrance opening has been/exposed. v

Such doors are usually mounted on suitable truck ttings which engage track rails, the rails extending along the sill of the entrance and then curving and extending along inside of the side walls of the building. Door guide rails are usually provided above the tops of the doors and are engaged by guide fittings at the tops'of the doors, these guide rails being sustained in alignment with and following the curvature-,of the track rails which support the doors.

An object `of the invention is to provide door 25 the like whereby the doors may be readily moved along the 'tracks without material lost motion and without binding whereby the door structures may be made readily shifted along the track into open and closed position.

Another object of the invention is to provide' top guide structures for hangar doors and the like which structures maybe secured on the tops of the door structures and which areprovided' with swivelledv frames carrying rollers for engaging opposite sides of guide rai-ls and with the axes of the rollers so placed as to move freely without binding along the top door1 guides.'

Another object of the invention is to provide i0 top guide rollers for hangardoors and the like of such nature when a door encounters a curve in the guide rail the guide structure carrying the rollers will guide the top `of the door and keep it in alignment with the curvatures of the track whereby the curve may be easily taken withfout binding and `unnecessary friction. e

A further object of the ini/'entionv is to provide improved weathering arrangement for sealing against wind and weather the space'between the tops vof the door structures and the guide rails and with the sealing element so arranged as not `to interfere with. the propel' movement of the doors along the track and about the curved sections of the track and guide rails.-

The above, other Aand further objects of the guide structures for the tops of hangar doors and sired. 1

invention will be apparent from the following description, accompanying drawings and appended claims. 'f f Embodiments ofthe invention rare illustrated in the accompanying drawings and the views 16v() thereof. as follows: f

Figurel is a side elevational View of the form of door guide structure chosen to exemplify the' presentinvention, yshowing the same attached to a fragment of the top of a doorstructure.

Figure 2 is a top plan view yof the structure of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially in the plane of line III- III of Figure2.

Figure 4 is a fragmental vertical sectional view v70 showing amodiiied swivel arrangement between the guide structure frame and the door;

Figure 5 is a top plan `View of a door structure provided with the guide structures of the present invention and showing the relation of the parts with the door .partly about the curved portion of the guide rail. v

Figure 6 is a vertical sectional view taken in the plane of line VI-VI of Figure 7. i

Figure '7 is a fragmental side elevational View of the top portion of a door provided with the door guide structureof the present invention and showing the relation ofthe weather board to the top guide member.r *Y l l ,f Figure 8 is a horizontal section to a top guide roller showing a different arrangement of the axes of the rollers with respect to theiswivel axis than'is illustrated in Figure 2.

The present invention is a continuation in part ofapplication serial No. 446,833,11ed February '9o 24,1930. v

` The guide structures of the present invention are illustrated as made in pairs and Figure 1 shows one of these structures applied to the upf per margin ortop of a `door A.

The door structure itself may be made as a single unit or of several units hinged together as yde- The loverhead guide rail B may be in the form of an angle with one flange 1 secured to the over- 100 head structure of the hanger or other building 'and with the flange 2 depending to serve as the rguide member. The guide flange 2 issubstantially in alignment with the rails (not shown) and the rollers on which the door structure issupportedfand moved The guide rail B extends adjacent and along the door header above the doorway and.y 'beyond the sides ofthe door Way or it may be curved to extend alongside` a side Wall of the Ibuilding in order that the door structure'may be 110 7? from dropping by having the heads thereof enrolled away from the doorway or entrance and out of the way against the building side wall when the doorway is exposed or opened.

Every door unit has a top guide tting C secured to the top thereof near the front edge and a similar fitting D secured to the top thereof near the rear edge. The iitting illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 of the drawings is the 'fitting C for application to the top of the door near the front edge of the same. The fitting D is constructed in like manner except that the wing extension projects in the opposite direction.

Each of the door guide structures includes a base 3 which rests on the top edge of the door with a depending portion 4 to bear against the side of the door adjacent the top and preferablyV p of the invention above the converging wall 8 a cylindrical wall 9 with Aa diverging portion 10 thereabove terminating in a at surface 11. An intermediate vertical wall 12 connects the diverging wall 10 with the fiat surface 11.

The guide structure includes also a swivel member E which is made as a casting which swivel member has a central plug portion 13 corresponding in contour to the portion of the opening 7 in the base 3 above the converging walls 8 of the same. A retaining washer 14 is arranged within the opening 3 and is shaped to correspond to the lowery portionthereof being provided with converging wall 15to correspond to the wall 8 of the base. A brass bearing washer 16 is interposed between the converging walls 8 of the base 3 and I15 of thewasher 14. The washer 14 is countersunk to receive the head 17 of a screw 18 which is in threaded engagement with the swivel member E. The screw 18 therefore forms the swivel axis for the member E with respect to the base 3.

The swivel member E includes frames 19 and 20 rising from the head 13. There are two of these Vframes 19 on one side of the longitudinal axis of or pins.

the side structure and two of the frames 20 on the opposite side. Hoods 21 and 22 are cast integrally with-the frames 19 and 20 with two hoods 21 connected to the frames 19 on one side of the longitudinal axis of the guide structure and similar hoods 22 on the other Side. s

The frames 19 and the hoods 21 are the inside frames and hoods respectively7 while the frames 20 and the hoods `22 are the outside frames and hoods respectively.

The adjacent faces of the hoods 21 and 22 as well as the portions of the guide structure irnrnediately` therebelow are spaced to receive the guide rail flange 2 in spaced relation.

s Rollers 23 are disposed in the hoods 21 while similar rollers 24 are disposed in the hoods 22. The rollers 23 and 24 rotate about vertical shafts r1`he rollers 23 are-supported on shafts or pins 25 which pass through the hoods and extend below the bottom of the same, the pins being let into the hoods through suitable openings in the top sides of the same. The pins are retained larged if desired or in any other suitable manner.

The rollers 23 and 24 are provided with bronze bearing sleeves about the shafts or pins supporting the rollers for the purpose of reducing friction. Cotter pins 26 are passed through suitable apertures in the pins 25 and the pins carrying the rollers 24 engaging against the underside of the bottoms of the hoods 21 and 22 as is clearly shown in Figure 1 for retaining the shafts in position. The lower ends of the pins 25 are reduced in size to provide substantially squared vend portions 27 which engage between upstanding shoulders 28 formed in the swivel casting E to prevent rotation of the pins. Any other means might be providedv for accomplishing the same purpose if desired.

The faces of the rollers 23 and 24 are convex in` elevation so as to prevent binding against the flange 2 of the guide rail B should the door swing or tilt in its movements. The rollers are fashioned with thev maximum diameter thereof slightly below the middle of the rollers and with the portions below such maximum diameter of slightly less diameter than the portions above the same. The rollers when arranged withinthe swivel member E are spaced farther apart than the thickness of the ange 2 of the guide rail B so that the rollers may take the curved sections of the rails without binding and without friction.

The guide rail B is curved as indicated at 29.

The swivel axis of the swivel member E is between the axes of the inner pair of rollers 23 and the outer pair of rollers 24. The axis of each of the rollers 24 is equi-distant from the swivel axis which is the axis of the screw 18. The axis of each of the inner rollers 23 is the same distance from the swivel axis but the distance between the axes of the inner pair of rollers 23 is less than the distance betweeny the axes of the pair of outer rollers 24. The difference between. the spacing of the axes of the inner rollers with respect to the spacing( of the axes of the outer rollers is determined by the radius or substantial radius of the curve 29 of the top guide member B with lthe radius passing through the axes of the inner and outer rollers at one end and the radius through the axes of the inner and outer rollers at the other end of the guide' structure. This feature is illustrated diagraminatically in Figure 5. inner pair of rollers as just described is no greater than the are between the radii passing through the axes of the pair of rollers and may be less if desired.

The arrangement of the rollers illustrated in Figure 3 is such that the axes of all ofthe rollers yare equi-distant from the' swivel axis of the guide structure. This arrangement is used when the top guide rail B is straight.V The outer rollers 30 of the form illustrated in Figure S are carried on pins or shafts 3l and with bearing sleeves 32 interposed between the shafts and the rollers. The pair of inner rollers 33 are supported on pins or shafts 34 also withthe bearing sleeves 35 between the pins and the rollers. The shafts 31 and 34 are arranged within the swivel member E in the same manner-kas described with reference to the form illustrated in Figures l, 2 and 3 of the drawings. Likewise,

the swivel member E is ofsimilar construction and arrangement as is also the base 3.

The pairs of inner rollers and outerl rollers en- The distance between the axes of the' its track thus guiding the top of the door.

VerV barrier 33 Referring to Figures 5 and .-'7 it will .be observed that ra weather board is attached to the top edge of the door between the guide structures C and D. This board is illustrated as an angle member having one ilange 36 secured to lthe Vtop edge of the door by bolts or screws 37 and with an upstanding angle 38 projecting above 4the bottom edge of the flange 2 of the top guide member B. The ends of the flange 38 extend -to the swivel Vmembers E of the guide structure and when the parts are in position occupied when vthe door is on a straight portion of the track are substantially in contact to prevent passage of windv or weather between the guide structures C and D. The swivel members E are provided 'with outstanding iianges l39 onl the inner side of the swivel axis to register with the adjacent edge of the flange 38 of the weather barrier. rIhe height ofthe guide structures() and D and the weather barrier ange 38 are the same so that there is thus provided a weather barrier for the inside of the door against the passage kof wind and. weather.A

Thef guide structures C and D are usually set inwardly a little distance from the adjacent side margins of the door and` each of theseguide structures is provided with a weather wing 39 extending toward the adjacent side margin -of the door. The wings 39 are shown as castA integrally with that portion of the swivel member E which Acontains the hood 22, that is on the outside of the guide structure. This arrangement brings these wings'39 on the outside or convex portion of the curve 29 of the guide rail member B so as not to come in contact with any portion of such guide member and interfere with the swivelvoperation of the guiding structure as the door is moved about the curve. The lengths of these wings is such as to extend to the adjacent marginal edge of the door unit and-have the inner faces thereof Iiiat and in height equal to the height of the guide structure. The flange 38 of the weather barrier, the swivel portions E of the guide structures and the wings 39 therefor form an effective barrier when the door is. in yclosed position against the passage of wind and weather over the top of the door, thus effectively sealing the doorway between the top of the door and the header. When the door unit is closed its guide structure, the weather wings 39, and the weathwill be parallel tothe 'guide rail iiange 2 of the guide member B and when the door encounters the curve 29 the guide plate wings 39 will be displaced and moved awayv from the 'outer faceof the flange 2 so as not tointerfere with the swivel action of the swivel members E oi the guide structures and the easy andraccurate guiding of the door unit around the curve.

Figure 6 illustrates a modied arrangement for securing the swivel member in the base.

VThis modification shows a fragmental portion l of a swivel element F having 'a head 40 which extends into and through the opening formed in the baseS.. The base A,3 is secured to the door in the manner described with respect to that illustrated in Figure 3, and has the iiat annular sheet 41 for engaging the flat piece 11 of the base 3. A suitable washer 42 is interposed between these flat seats for the purpose of reducing friction. A retaining washer 43l is secured to the head 40 by a rivet 44 which extends through the washer and the head with the ends of the rivet spread to hold the washer 44 to the head 40. The washer 44 therefore forms the swivel axis of the swivel member F with respect to the base 3 of this l header.

Ysuitable anti-friction material.

The operation of the guide structure is as follows:

at the top by a straight portion of the flange 2 of theguide member Bin which event the flange 38 of the barrier will `be parallel to said straight section as lwill alsobe the wings 39 on the guide structuresC land D. The `door opening top is providedwitha barrier against the passage of weather and wind between the top of the door and the The door in its opening movement is moved away from closed position along the track with the top guided by the guide member B and when the advancing guide structure D` encounthereof will turn on its axis 18 moving its wing 39 away from the outside of the ange 2 in the `)manner illustrated in Figure 5. ment of the innerrollers 23 with the axes thereof nearer together than the axes of the outer rollers 24 enables the guide structure Ato pass easily around the curve without binding or friction and at the same time properly guiding the'top of the door in such movement. The door is continued in its opening movement vuntil it is moved away from the doorway and into position alongside the inner side of the hanger or other structure in which the door is mounted. The 'top of thegdoor is guided in its opening and closing movements by the inner and youter rollers engaging the ange 2 of the guide member B so that when the door encounters a curve the. advance roller will engage the rail and as thisroller follows vthe curve it will cause the swivel head of the guide structure to vturn and remain substantially. alongside or" the rail and accurately and easily follow the vcurvature of thesame, and this is true for `either direction of 'travelof the door unit.y One ofthe advancingrollers of a guide structure will always act as a leader to steer the structure about the curve and guide the door along the top guide member` B. lThe formation of the surface of the sacricing any-of the benecial results attained. The shape of thesey rollers is sufficient to prevent binding of the rollers-against the ange 2 of the guide memberr as thedoor is moved into opened or closed position.

The wings 39 are notched at 47 to extend below the top surface of the swivel portion E and justclear the` top edge of the door'so as to more effectively sealA the space between the top of the door and the header against wind and weather.

The base 3 may be provided with a lubricating fitting 48 anda passage 49 through which lubricant may be forced` into the space within the opening 7 in the base 3, the washer 14 and the head or plug 13 of the swivel portion and also Y The arrange- The door when in closed position will ge guided ters the curved portion 29 the swivel portion E .l

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'Ihe invention has been described herein more or less precisely as to details, yet it is to be understood that the invention is not to be limited thereby as changes may be made in the arrangement and proportion oi parts and equivalents may be substituted without departing from the spirit and scope ofthe invention.

The invention isl claimed as follows: f

l. A hangar door guide structure of the class described comprising a supporting base, a head swiveled on said base to rotate on a vertical axis, and opposing sets of abutments on said head forming a guide path for receiving a guide rail, the abutments of one set being equi-distant from the swivel axis oi said head and the abutments of the other set being equi-distant from the swivel axis oi said head, and the abutments of one set Vbeing a difierent distance apart than the abutments oi the other set.

2. A hangar door guide structure of the class described comprising a supporting base, a head swiveled on said base for rotation about a vertical axis, Vwalls on said head operated by a guide rail receiving channel, an outer guide roller on each wall with said outer rollers opposite each other and projecting into rsaid channel, an inner guide roller on each wall with said inner rollers opposite each other and projecting into said channel, the axes of said outer rollers being equidistant from the axis of rotation of said head, and the axis of said inner rollers being equi-distant from the axis or rotation of said head, with the distance between the axes of the outer rollers different .from the distance between the axes of the inner rollers to prevent binding of said rollers with a curved guide. Y

3. A hangar door guide structure of the class described, in combination, a door guide structure head for attachment to a door, said structure having a portion carriedby said head and arn ranged to rotate thereon on a vertical axis, vertical walls on said portion separated by a guide rail receiving channel, saiolwalls affording op-' posed guiding surfaces at both sides of the axis for rotation ofY said head, and rollers supported in said walls on each side of said channel.

e. A hangar door guide structure includingin combination, a guide member for attachment to the top of a hangar door, opposed guide elements on said member separated to 'form-a guide channel, the guide elements on one side oi said channel being a different distance apart than the guide elements on the other side of the channel, a guide roller projecting into said channel', supporting said member for rotation on a vertical whereby the same may follow the curvature of the guide rail as the door is moved, and other means serving to close the space longitudinally between the guide member' and the adjacent edge of the door and vertically between the top of the door and said guide rail when said door engages a straight section of said guide rail. l I

5. A hangar door guide structure including in combination, guide members fory attachment to the top' oic a door'for cooperating with'a curved guide rail, each guide member having opposed guide elements separated by a'channel for receiving the guide rail, said. guide elements on one side of said channel being a diierent distance apart than the guide velements on the other side of the channel, said members being attachable to a door for rotation on a vertical axis, a guide wing extending from one of the guide elements of each of said guide members, each wing Serving to close the space longitudinally between the respective guide member and adjacent side edge of the door and vertically between the top of the door and said guide rail when said door is in engagement with the straight section of the guide rail, and a weather barrier extending from the top of said door between said guide Vmembers and closing the space between the top of the door and said guide rail when said door is in engagement with the straight section of said rail.

6. Ay hangar door guide structure comprising in combination, guide members for attachment to rthe top of a hangar door, said guide member adapted to receive a guide rail above the door unit having a straight section and a curved section, Y

opposed guide elements on each guide'member separated by a channel for receiving the guide rail, the guide elements on one side of said channel being a diierent distance apart than the guide elements on the other side of the channel, means adapted each guide member forrotation on a vertical axis extending between the guide elements and intermediate the ends thereof, an extension on each guidernember serving as a weather barrier between said guide members and the adjacent side edges of the door and guide rail when said door engages with a straight section of said guide rail, and a weather barrier extending upwardly from said door unit between said guide members to cooperate with said guide rail for closing the space between said guide members and the guide rail when said door unit engages with the straight section of such guide rail.

7. A guide structure for the top of rolling hangar doors including a base member attachable to a door, a swivel element in engagement with said base member, said swivel element carrying two pair of rollersr arranged with a pair on each side of the longitudinal axis thereof, each pair of 'rollers being laterally spaced to form a channel for receiving a guide member therebetweemthe rollers onl one side of said channel being a different distance apart than the rollers on the other side of said channel, said swivelV member having a wing portion extending forwardly from the same to the adjacent edge of the'door and extending vertically irom the top oi the door `above the bottom of the guide rail for sealing the space therebetween, and a weather barrier fastened to the door inwardly of said swivel member alongside the inner portion of the door and terminating adjacent said swivel member.

8. Ahangar door guide structure of the class described including in combination, a base member attachable to the top edge of a hangar door, said member having a irusto-conical opening therein, a swivel member having a head entering said opening, a washer arranged in the under side of said opening, a screw passing through said washer andthreaded into said head and providingv the swivel axis for said swivel member, said swivel member carrying a pair of v inner rollers and a pair of outer rollers spaced laterally to receive a guide rail,V thek distance between the axes of the inner rollers being less than the distance between the axes of the outer rollers.

DONALD E. WILLARD.

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